Football card game



Feb. 1, 1938.

S. KATZ FOOTBALL CARD GAME Filed DeC. 24, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 1, 1938.

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FFICE FOOTBALL CARD GAME 3 Claims.

This invention relates to game apparatus, and more particularly to apparatus in the form of cards for playing the game of football.

An object of this invention is to provide a deck of cards together with rules for playing of the game of football, the cards being so constructed and designed and the rules being of such a character that substantially all of the plays used in the game of football may be used in the card game.

Another object of this invention is the pro- Vision of a deck of cards and rules for playing of the game whereby an element of chance as well as skill in the choice of plays is inserted into the game, while at the same time providing an exceedingly simple game which is preferably played by two persons.

In game apparatus heretofore available for the playing of the game of football the apparatus and rules for playing the game were of such a complicated nature that it was exceedingly difficult to play the game in the proper manner, and it is to provide a relatively simple game apparatus in the form of a deck of cards and rules for the playing of the game so that the game can be played in a relatively rapid manner, and at the same time there is a su'cient element of chance together with an element of skill in the selection of the proper plays so that the game may be played by persons of various ages with equal facility.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure l is a plan view of one of the Gain cards embodied in a game apparatus constructed in accordance with an embodiment of this invention.

Figure 2 is a plan View of one of the No gain cards.

Figure 3 is a plan View of one of the First down cards,

Figure 4 is a plan view of one of the Loss or penalty cards.

Figure 5 is a plan view of a Touchdown card.

Figure 6 is a plan view of one of the Holding or penalty cards.

Figure '7 is a plan view of one of the Off-side u or penalty cards.

Figure 8 is a plan View of one of the Fumble or penalty cards.

Figure 9 is a plan View of another of the Holding or penalty cards.

Figure l0 is a plan view of another of the Offl side `or penalty cards.

Figure 11 is va diagrammatic View of the playing field which may be optionally used with this game.

Referring to the drawings, and first to Figure l, the numeral I5 designates a card of suitable size, preferably rectangular in plan, which is provided in the body thereof on the face or playing side thereof with a figure IB simulating a football player in the act of kicking a'football.

The card I5 is provided adjacent each corner with a numeral I'I, and preferably there are eighteen cards of this particulartype or character with each card bearing different numerals indicative of yards gained, and these numerals are as follows: I, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 'I, 8, 9, I0, I5 and 20. It will be understood that each card bears four like numerals. Between one pair of numerals I1 and at one end of the card I5, there is the legend Gain and designated by the numeral I8. At the other end of the card I5 and between the other pair of numerals I'I there is the legend Incomplete and designated by the numeral I9. The card I5 also has along one side thereof and adjacent the Gain end thereof the word Rush which is indicated by the numeral 20. Diagonally opposite from the Word Rush and at the oppoposite side or edge of the card I5 there is the legend or word Pass, designated by the numeral 2|.

In Figure 2 there is shown another type of card which may be used for either a Rush or Pass, the card 22 having similar side legends 20 and 2i. Between the numerals 23 at the corners of this card 22 there is the legend No gain, designated by the numeral 2li, and this legend No gain is at the end of the card adjacent the word Rush, whereas the other or Pass end of the card 22 has the legend Complete between the corner numerals, this latter legend being shown at 25. There are eight No gain cards, and the numerals at the corners thereof are as follows: I, 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, and I0.

Figure 3 shows a further card 26 provided with corner numerals 2l, and these cards 26 are also of the Rush-pass type. At the end of the card 26 adjacent the legend Rush and between the numerals 21 there is the legend First down which is designated by 28. The other or Pass end of the card 26 has the legend Intercepted, shown formI of the word Intercepted is between the' other pair of numerals 3| at the opposite end of the card. There are five of these Loss-intery cepted cards, and the corner numeralsv 3| are: 3, 4, 5, 6, and 1 Figure 5 shows another card 34 ofthe Rushpass type which bears corner numerals 35, the corner numerals on this type of card being V102 The legend or word Touchdown shown .at v3| is disposed between one pair of numeralsA 35 at the Rush end of the card34, and the legend or word Intercepted, shown at 31, is at .the :Pass end of the card. There is only one Touchdown card in the entire deck.

VA pair 'of penaltycards 38e-and 39 are shown in Figures 6 and 9, respectively. Thecard 38A bears the. character O at eachy corner, and at Ydiagonally opposite corners bears the legend Penalty, shown at 40. The card 38 also has the legend orword Holding, shown at 4|, aty each end thereof and betweeneach pair of characters O, the. character O indicating. the offensive team. The card 39 is similar in all respects to the card '38, With the exception that the corner oharactersare D, shown at 42. Thelcharacter DFdesignates thedefensive team in the playing of the game.

A'secondpair-of penalty cards are shown in Figs; 7 and f10. The numeral43 designates the corner characters 0" of card-44 'shown in Fig. 7, and the numeral 451designates the character of the-penalty, 'whichin-this case is Off-side, and this legend appears at opposite ends of the card 44 and between each pair of characters VO. Card 46 shown Tin Fig. v10 is similar in all respects to card V44, with the exception of the corner characters 41, which yare D. With these cards144 andl46, as with the cards 38 and 39, the characters O and D designate the oiensive and defensive teams, respectively.

In 4Figure 8 thereis shownV a card 48 of the Rush-pass type, and these cardsv48 vbear corner `nu1r1erals`49, the corner numerals of one card being j4 and the corner numerals of the other card -being l. These cards 48 have a legend- 50 adjacent one endandbetweenthe numerals 49 at the Rgushend of thecard, the legendV 50 being ycharacterized by the `word Fumble. The opposite or Pass end of the cards 43 beara legend 5| in the form of the word Complete.

Figure l1 shows diagrammatically a playing field ,of the .usual size, the transverse lines indicating theV 10-yard markers. A diagram of this character may be optionally use-dwith this game, and ,if desiredadditional yard markers may be shown.

` Rules lThe rules of the game areas follows: .Theintial' offensive and defensive teams may ,beY chosen in any suitable manner,.as by the flip ofY a coin, and when sides have been chosen, the ofensiv'eplayer shules the Ycards,and play starts with the kick-olf vwhichis on the forty-yard line. 'I-'he defensive player or opponent may cut the vback the ball for a touchdown.

shuiiled deck, and then the oensive player who is kicking off draws six cards from the top or middle of the deck, which is placed in inverted position. The corner numerals of tnese six cards are then added up and the Vsum total of these numerals indicates the total yardage of the kickoff. In the event any penalty cards, which do not bear corner numerals, are drawn at the kickoff, the player may draw other cards in their place.

After the total of the corner numerals has been ascertainedat the lnckoff,.the sixrcardsare then scanned and in the event the legend on the Pass end of each card is the same, that is, either Complete, Incomplete, or Intercepted, then the receiver of the ball is given credit for running If the first six number bearing cards are not alike on the Pass Vend thereof the receiver of the ball begins play attheY point indicated by the total length of the kickoff. After the ball has been kicked off the offensive .player must before drawing any cards fromithegdeckwhich is shuffled after each play, name the character of the play.

The ,offensive player, having statedthat the next'play isxto rbe a punt,fdraws one card from the deck, and if this card is not a penalty card he ithen draws five more cards. The yardage ofthe punt is determined by the total ofthe corner numerals on the drawn cards. If the rst card drawn is a penalty card the yardage for the penalty is'taken, `and then six drawn.

' The penalty for holding lis fifteen (l5) yards, and the penalty for off-side is five (5) yards.

more cards are Blocked kick-If five of the six number bearau ing cards drawn for thepunt read `the same on the Pass side then the kick has been blocked, and

the ball is given Vto the opposing player or team.

vdesires to rush `theball draws one card, and

the result of the Rush will be indicated on the Rush side of thefcard. 'I'he total yardage gained or lost is indicated by the corner numeral of the drawn card. As an example, player having stated that he .will rush the ball, drawsk one card which on the Rush side thereof bears the legend Gain. The total yardage gained is indicated by the numeralin the corner of the card.

Fumbe'-ruZe.-If. player, having stated thatrhe desires to Rush, should draw a Fumble card he automatically loses the ballon the line of scrimmage VVto the opposingxside. In this instance the numerals in the corners of the Fumble card are disregarded. Y

No gain Tula-If player, having stated that he desires to Rush, should drawa No gain card, the numerals in the corners of the card should be aseries of five downs, he automatically loses the ball to his opponent on the line of scrimmage determined by the last down, unless he has chosen to punt on the last down. If player draws a First down card when intending `to rush, the

iii() vdisregardedand play resumed .on the line of Y corner numerals of this particular card are disregarded and the ball moved forward a sufficient distance to make the first down.

Pass Tula-Player, having called for a pass, draws one card from the shufcd deck, and the result of the pass will be determined on the Pass side of the card. If the card drawn indicates Incomplete on the Pass side thereof, a down is counted and no other card need be drawn. If a Complete card is drawn, player then draws two more cards, Penalty cards not included, and adds up the total numerals to indieate the yardage gained by the pass'. If an Intercepted card is drawn, then the pass has been intercepted by the opponent, and in this case the player making the pass shall vdraw two more cards and add up the corner numerals to indicate the distance away from the original line of scrimmage where the pass was intercepted, and the player or team intercepting the ball starts play from that point. Passes cannot be intercepted behind the goal line unless intercepted for a touchdown, which is then run back for the entire length of the eld. An intercepted pass which is not a touchdown is given to the opposing player on the line of scrimmage.

Touchdown pass Tula-If the rst Pass card indicates a completed pass, and if the subsequently drawn two cards also read Complete, then the pass is good for a touchdown for the offensive player.

Touchdown by interception-Ji all three cards drawn by the offensive player read Intercepted on the Pass side, then the intercepting player has run the ball for a touchdown.

Point after touchdown-Player, having made a touchdown draws one card from the shuffled deck, and if the corner numeral is 8 or above, the kick is good and one point counted. If the numeral in the corner is less than 8 the kick is no good. If a Penalty card is drawn bearing the corner character D, the kick is also good, but if the Penalty card shown a character O, then the kick is no good.

Field goal Tula-Players who are within the opponents twenty-live (25) yard line are eligible to try for a field goal, that is the offensive player may designate the next play as a try for a eld goal. On this occasion the player draws one card, and if the corner numeral is 8 or higher, the kick is good and three (3) points are given for the goal kick. If the corner numeral is less than eight 8 the kick is no good. Having called for a field goal, if player draws a Penalty card, the penalty on the side indicated by the corner character is enforced, and if player so desires and the Down rule permits, either a eld goal may be elected as the next play, or any other play may be called. After the ball has been kicked for a eld goal, if the kick is no good, the ball is given to the opposing side on the twenty yard line. If kick is good ball is kicked @if by team that made goal from their own forty (40) yard line.

Scores Touchdown 6 points Point after touchdown lpoint Field goal Spoints Safety or touchback 2points In order to count a score, the ball must cross over the goal line, or in other words if an offensive player is on the two 2) yard line, and if the Gain card bears the numeral 2, then the ball is moved to the goal line, but another card must be drawn and another down taken. Assuming the above status and the play being made on the fifth down, then the ball goes over to the opposing side on the goal line. This rule also applies for a touchback.

Where a Penalty card is drawn against the defensive side, the penalty is taken against the defensive side, and the ball moved as far as possible toward the goal line, but if the penalty is more than the distancce to the goal line, then the ball is placed on the goal line, and a further try must be made for a score.

The scoring or position of the ball on the playing field can be indicated by at least one of two ways. If the diagram shown in Fig. 1l is used an article of some sort may be used to simulate a football and this article moved back and forth in accordance with the plays. If the diagram of the field is not used, then the position of the ball may be shown and the down number shown as follows: A letter, as for example Y may be used to designate one player or team, and a second letter, such as H used to designate the other player or team. Now assuming that Y is the oifensive player, H is the defensive player, the ball is on the forty-five yard line of H and it is first down for Y. This condition may be set down as follows:

count is three (3) yards, then the status will be as follows:

The bottom character denotes the position of the ball, that is whether it is in the territory of E or Y, and the top character denotes the offensive player, whereas the top number indcates the down number and the lower number indicates the yard marker or position of the ball.

It will be obvious that an exceedingly interesting and at the same time simple game has been provided for the playing of the game of football so that various kinds of plays may be called in the same manner as such plays are called in the actual playing of the game on the gridiron.

I do not wish to be restricted to the size, form and proportions of the various cards, and obviously changes could be made in the construction herein described without departing from the spirit of the invention, it being only necessary that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims:-

What is claimed is:

l. A football game apparatus comprising a deck of cards including a vseries of movement cards, certain of said cards having a numeral in each corner, a movement indication at each end between each pair of numerals, with the movement indication on one end of each card contradistinguished from the movement indication on the other end of the card, and each of said cards having a play indication on each edge at`diametrically opposed corners, and a series of penalty cards provided with characters indicative of the ball carrier at each corner and also provided with a penalty indication adjacent each `end and between said characters.

2. A football game apparatus comprising a deck of cards including a series of movement cards, each card having a numeral in each corner, a movement indication at each end between each pair of numerals with the movement indication on one end of each card contradistinguished from the movement indicationron each pair of numerals with the movement indication on one end of each card contradistinguished from the movement indication on the otherV end ofV the card, and eachrof said cards having a play indication on each edge at diametrically opposed corners, the play indication on one edge being'contradistinguished from the play indication on the other edge of the card,` aY

series of penalty cards provided with :characters indicative of the ball carrier at each corner and also provided with a penalty indication at each end and between said characters, a series of loss cards, and at least one touchdown card,l said loss cards and said touchdown card each having a numeral in each corner.

' SIDNEY KATZ. 

